Somewhere far below, 3D-printed drones roll off assembly lines and accelerate straight into flight; the program continues unabated. Unmanned, the aircraft cannot be commanded by voice.

All digital comms have been lost.

The commander slumps. Looks like mutually assured destruction has a new modus operandi.

100WITF is Zoë Goodacre’s thought-provoking, creative take on the world of business and technology. Join us every week on a journey to fantastical worlds, and take a different spin on top tech stories. Weigh in with a comment below, and follow Zoë Goodacre (+) @zgoodacre (Twitter)